Reflective layer for an illumination device

Abstract

An illumination device includes a light source, a reflective layer disposed to reflect light from the light source and to direct the light out of the illumination device to provide illumination, a base layer made of thermoformed resin provided at the reflective layer to hold the light source, and conductors disposed on the base layer and connected to the light source to supply power to the light source.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An illumination device comprising:
 at least one light source; 
 a reflective layer disposed to reflect light from the at least one light source and to direct the light out of the illumination device to provide illumination; 
 a base layer of a thermoformed resin to hold the at least one light source and to hold the reflective layer; and 
 a plurality of conductors disposed on the base layer and connected to the at least one light source to supply power to the at least one light source, wherein the reflective layer is made of thermoformed foamed polyethylene terephthalate resin. 
 
     
     
       2. The illumination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source includes at least one LED light source. 
     
     
       3. The illumination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reflective layer has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 1 mm. 
     
     
       4. The illumination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the base layer is disposed to assemble the at least one light source and the plurality of conductors thereon. 
     
     
       5. The illumination device according to  claim 4 , wherein the base layer is a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       6. The illumination device according to  claim 4 , wherein the base layer has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 10 mm. 
     
     
       7. The illumination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the conductor has a conductor compensation portion which compensates for elongation of the conductor in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       8. The illumination device according to  claim 7 , wherein the conductor compensation portion is a projection portion which protrudes from an outer edge portion of the base layer or the conductor compensation portion is a bent portion in which a part of the conductor is bent with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof or wherein the conductor compensation portion has at least one recessed portion extending in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction thereof. 
     
     
       9. The illumination device according to  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the conductor corresponding to a portion in which the reflective layer and the base layer together undergo shape deformation during forming is not joined to the base layer, and the other portion of the conductor corresponding to a portion in which neither of the reflective layer nor the base layer undergoes shape deformation is joined to the base layer. 
     
     
       10. The illumination device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductors are any one of metal sheets, metal pads, metal foils, wire rods, and pattern conductors. 
     
     
       11. The illumination device according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of conductors are pattern conductors on a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       12. The illumination device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 at least one through-hole portion provided in the reflective layer to emit light from the at least one light source to outside. 
 
     
     
       13. The illumination device according to  claim 12 , wherein the reflective layer and the base layer have an identical shape. 
     
     
       14. The illumination device according to  claim 13 , wherein the reflective layer is assembled onto the base layer with a plurality of conductors being located between the reflective layer and the base layer. 
     
     
       15. The illumination device according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one light source is a single LED light source assembled onto a surface of the base layer, the at least one through-hole is a single through-hole positioned at a position corresponding to the single LED light source so that light from the single LED light source either leaves directly the illumination device through the single through-hole portion or is reflected back from the surface of the opposite side of the reflective layer which is not connected to the base layer. 
     
     
       16. The illumination device according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of conductors have a terminal portion for connecting a power supply to the single LED light source. 
     
     
       17. A method of manufacturing an illumination device, the method comprising:
 preparing a reflective layer as a thermoformable resin sheet; 
 preparing a base layer as a thermoformed resin sheet; 
 providing a plurality of conductors on a surface of the base layer; 
 providing a terminal portion of the plurality of conductors to supply power to at least one light source; 
 providing the at least one light source whereto the plurality of conductors are connected on a surface of the base layer; 
 providing at least one through-hole portion in the reflective layer; 
 placing the reflective layer on the base layer so that the plurality of conductors are positioned between the reflective layer and the base layer; and 
 positioning the reflective layer on the base layer so that light from the at least one light source either leaves directly the illumination device through the at least one through-hole portion or is reflected back from a surface on an opposite side of the reflective layer that is not connected to the base layer, and the at least one through-hole portion of the reflective layer is positioned at a position corresponding to the at least one light source assembled to a surface of the base layer, 
 wherein the plurality of conductors are made flexible in order not to break when the base layer undergoes shape deformation. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of manufacturing an illumination device according to  claim 17 , wherein the terminal portion is assembled to an edge portion of a shape after deformation of the base layer or opposite side of the base layer that is not joined to the reflective layer. 
     
     
       19. The method of manufacturing an illumination device according to  claim 18 , wherein the reflective layer and the base layer are joined to each other by polymer melting. 
     
     
       20. The method of manufacturing an illumination device according to  claim 19 , wherein the polymer melting is lamination. 
     
     
       21. The method of manufacturing an illumination device according to  claim 19 , wherein the reflective layer and the base layer are polymer softened by heat using a mold having a shape that is identical to a final shape of the illumination device so that the reflective layer and the base layer together undergo shape deformation into the final shape of the illumination device. 
     
     
       22. The method of manufacturing an illumination device according to  claim 21 , wherein the polymer softening is thermoformation. 
     
     
       23. The method of manufacturing an illumination device according to  claim 21 , wherein the final shape of the illumination device is obtained by cutting the reflective layer and the base layer. 
     
     
       24. The method of manufacturing an illumination device according to  claim 17 , wherein in providing the plurality of conductors on the surface of the base layer, the portion of the conductor corresponding to the portion in which the reflective layer and the base layer together undergo shape deformation during forming in order to obtain the final shape of the illumination device is not joined to the base layer, and the other portion of the conductor corresponding to the portion in which neither of the reflective layer nor the base layer undergoes shape deformation is joined to the base layer.